Los Angeles Clippers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers, Jazz Unlikely To Make Deals

February 20th, 2013 at 5:53pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Clippers and Jazz have been two of the teams most frequently linked to trade talk, with L.A. reportedly involved in the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes while Utah figures out what to do with all of its expiring contracts. They've even been tied together in a rumored Paul Millsap/Eric Bledsoe deal. Still, Marc Stein of ESPN.com is hearing "mostly standing-pat rumbles" when inquiring about both teams (Twitter link). TNT's David Aldridge echoes that sentiment as far as the Clippers are concerned (Twitter link). On top of that, Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said today that the team doesn't expect to make any deals, notes Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Tax concerns appear to be complicating talks for both teams, Grantland's Zach Lowe tweets. They're both right under the $70.307MM tax line. Lowe's math has both teams a little bit closer to the line than my figures from this weekend, but either way it makes it difficult for those teams to swing trades, likely necessitating them to take back less salary in any deal — something that would have an especially chilling effect on any moves for the Clippers, since they'd probably be looking to add to their team, and Lowe has them at about $150K beneath the tax line.

Just today, we've heard about the Jazz's talks with the Wolves about Paul Millsap and L.A.'s brief call to the Hawks about Josh Smith. Stein cautions that much can change in the next 20 or so hours before the trade deadline, but as of now, it looks like the Jazz and Clippers will move past the deadline with their teams intact.

Josh Smith Rumors: Tuesday

February 19th, 2013 at 11:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Last night, ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported that many teams around the NBA are convinced that the Hawks will move Josh Smith by Thursday's trade deadline. Stein cited the Celtics as one team with interest, but wrote that he couldn't see them giving up Paul Pierce in a deal for Smith. We'll likely hear a few more rumors and rumblings on Smith today, so we'll round all those up in one place, with the latest updates added to the top of the page throughout the day:

The Nets' latest offer includes Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, and either a first-round pick or the draft rights to Bojan Bogdanovic, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy says the strangest rumor he's heard involves Josh Smith and filler (possibly Zaza Pachulia) going to the Knicks for Amare Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert.

Earlier updates:

ESPN's Chris Broussard tweets that although the Suns have been in touch with the Hawks regarding Smith, a deal is very unlikely.
The Hawks called the Clippers and asked about acquiring Eric Bledsoe in a Smith trade, but the conversation was short, according to Broussard, who says the Clips aren't really interested in Smith (Twitter link).
Broussard adds in a second tweet that Smith heading to the Suns in a package headlined by Marcin Gortat is "unlikely."
Most of the offers the Hawks have received so far for Smith have been underwhelming, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Several members of the Warriors organization tell Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (Sulia link) that they think Smith would be an ideal fit in Golden State. However, the club wouldn't want to give up Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes for a free-agent-to-be, so a trade is "improbable at best."

Clippers, Celtics End Kevin Garnett Talks

February 19th, 2013 at 9:23pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Clippers and Celtics have terminated trade talks involving Kevin Garnett for now. The latest reported potential deal involved Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan going to Boston, but discussions are believed to be at a standstill unless Chris Paul pushes for a deal. Yesterday, we heard about Paul's plans to re-sign with Los Angeles as well as the strong influence he supposedly has on personnel decisions.

The Celtics are reportedly willing to continue talks, but won't re-visit negotiations unless Bledsoe and Jordan are included. Wojnarowski also points out that any deal that involves trading Garnett could be a pre-cursor to Boston attempting to package Paul Pierce for Atlanta's Josh Smith. Apparently management has yet to approach Garnett about waiving his no trade clause without a deal on the table, but there is a belief that he could be eventually convinced to agree to move.

Wojnarowski notes that the Celtics' front office is still deciphering whether to add to the current core in order to try to make a playoff run this year or begin re-tooling the roster with young talent. For the Clippers, the 15-time All-Star is seen as a possible key piece that could make them the favorite to win the Western Conference this season.

Celtics Rumors: Garnett, Bass, Lee, Melo, Bradley

February 19th, 2013 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

After ACL surgery ended Rajon Rondo's season, Celtics president Danny Ainge insisted that he wanted to see how his team responded before deciding what sort of roster moves to consider. The Celtics have been on a tear since then, but Jared Sullinger and Leandro Barbosa have also seen their seasons end prematurely due to injuries, leaving the team with a dearth of healthy bodies. While we wait to see wait Ainge and the C's have up their sleeves before Thursday, here are the latest rumblings from out of Boston:

Marc Stein of ESPN.com isn't convinced that Kevin Garnett could be persuaded to waive his no-trade clause, even if it meant joining a team like the Clippers. According to Stein, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported last night on SportsCenter that Chauncey Billups believes his friend's position on not waiving his no-trade clause is firm.
Even if Garnett were to agree to a deal, the Clippers aren't willing to include both Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan in their proposal, according to Stein. The ESPN.com scribe cautions that it could be posturing on the Clippers' part, but one source says the Clippers feel like that's too much to give up for a 36-year-old who may not play much longer.
Outside of weighing possible deals involving Garnett and Paul Pierce, the Celtics have also explored possibilities that include Brandon Bass, Courtney Lee, Fab Melo, and Avery Bradley, but have only received lukewarm interest, according to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. I imagine plenty of teams would like to get their hands on Bradley, but perhaps the Celtics' asking price is exorbitant.
One opposing executive on the Celtics, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald: "[They] are one of the more active teams out there talking, but they really don’t have a lot of great options. They don’t have a lot to trade."
Bulpett reports that the Clippers have yet to make a formal offer for Garnett. He also adds that Ainge doesn't feel any pressure to do anything more drastic than to add a player or two. "I love how hard our guys play and compete," Ainge said. "They do need some support with some extra bodies for the rest of the year. I definitely need to do that, to add some players to our roster. But that’s all that we need to do."

Berger On Bledsoe, Celtics, Bulls, Warriors, Maynor

February 19th, 2013 at 9:37am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest piece for CBSSports.com, Ken Berger echoes a rumor we've heard recently, writing that concerns about increasing luxury-tax penalties may make teams reluctant to deal this week. While there may be something to that idea, I'd be surprised if we don't end up seeing a handful of trades consummated by Thursday afternoon at 2:00pm CST. And Berger also shares the latest on a few possibilities, so let's round up the highlights from his column:

The Clippers are willing to listen on Eric Bledsoe inquiries, but are reluctant to move him as long as there's even the slightest doubt that Chris Paul will re-sign this summer.
Talks between the Clippers and Celtics involving Kevin Garnett are dormant for now. Rival execs believe that Danny Ainge recognizes that if he trades Garnett, he'll probably have to trade Paul Pierce as well, and vice versa. If the C's don't blow things up, moving Jason Terry to get under the luxury tax will also be a consideration.
Other teams who could attempt to get under the luxury tax: The Bulls, by moving Richard Hamilton, and the Warriors, who could try to deal a couple of minimum-salary players like Jeremy Tyler, Kent Bazemore, or Charles Jenkins.
Bergers suggests that Eric Maynor, who we heard is being shopped by the Thunder, could be a fit for the Jazz, but Utah is "consumed with the dilemma" of whether to trade Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap. I'm sure if Oklahoma City approached the Jazz with an offer, they'd listen, but it doesn't sound like a priority for Utah at the moment.
The Timberwolves are aggressively shopping draft picks in an attempt to acquire wing help. We heard a similar report from Adrian Wojnarowski last night.

Los Angeles Rumors: Paul, Clips, Howard, Lakers

February 18th, 2013 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

Clippers and Lakers stars led the way for the Western Conference last night in Houston, as Chris Paul's 20 points and 15 assists earned him MVP honors, while Kobe Bryant's late-game defense helped secure the West's victory. But with All-Star weekend behind us and the trade deadline looming, there's plenty of off-court intrigue to follow in Los Angeles, and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports has the latest updates on the city's two teams….

Paul is "planning to re-sign" with the Clippers this summer, according to Wojnarowski.
The All-Star point guard is also expected to continue to have final say about any move the franchise makes. As one of Wojnarowski's sources puts it: "If Chris wants Vinny [Del Negro], he'll be the coach. If Chris wants [Kevin Garnett], they'll push harder for it."
Rival teams are still calling the Lakers about Dwight Howard, despite Mitch Kupchak's public and private insistences that D12 won't be moved. When rumors surfaced recently suggesting that the club could be engaged in talks, Kupchak told Howard to pay them no mind.
One rival GM on the Lakers' stance with Howard: "They're too arrogant to move him now, even if Dwight asked for it. They're the Lakers, and they'll dare you to walk away in July. And if I was them, I would, too."
Asked about Howard's situation at All-Star weekend, Bryant was fairly indifferent, telling reporters, "I don't know what [the Lakers' front office is] going to do. At this point, it doesn't matter."
According to Wojnarowski, Howard has come to realize that winning needs to be his top priority in free agency, rather than marketing potential or geography. He'll weigh all his options thoroughly in July.

Jazz, Clippers Interested In Millsap, Bledsoe Swap

February 17th, 2013 at 8:27am CST by Chuck Myron

There's mutual interest between the Clippers and Jazz in a deal that would have point guard Eric Bledsoe and power forward Paul Millsap trading places, report Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein of ESPN.com. While Clippers vice president of basketball ops Gary Sacks says the team is not actively shopping Bledsoe or anyone else on the team's roster, it's clear the team is open to making a move of some kind, particularly with Bledsoe, who's also reportedly been at the heart of discussion with the Celtics about Kevin Garnett.

A pair of sources insisted to ESPN that the Clippers wouldn't make a move before the trade deadline, but two other sources gave Shelburne and Stein indications that the Clippers and Jazz will at least explore whether a Bledsoe-Millsap deal is workable. L.A. would have to add close to $6.4MM worth of salary to the deal to make the numbers match, as there's a wide gap between Millsap's $8.6MM take this season and Bledsoe's $1.7MM. Shelburne and Stein hear the Clippers are reluctant to break up their roster, given the team's 17-game winning streak earlier this season.

The Jazz have been giving mixed signals on whether they're more likely to trade Millsap or Al Jefferson, both of whom will be free agents this summer. The Nets appear to have interest in Millsap as well, and the Trail Blazers have also been linked to the power forward. Trading Millsap away would open up minutes for former No. 3 overall pick Derrick Favors at the four in Utah, and Bledsoe would strengthen the team's backcourt, which has been a weakness. Millsap would probably have to come off the bench for the Clippers, unless coach Vinny Del Negro wanted to play him or Blake Griffin out of position.

Sacks Says Clippers Not Shopping Jordan, Bledsoe

February 16th, 2013 at 5:16pm CST by Sean Highkin

Los Angeles Clippers vice president of basketball operations Gary Sacks tells Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times that the team is not actively shopping DeAndre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe, or any other player on its roster:

"I haven't called anybody to say, 'Hey, we have Eric Bledsoe and would you like him?' Or, 'We have DeAndre Jordan or we have anybody and would you want them?' That's not where I am right now with this team," Sacks said in a phone interview from Houston on Saturday. "That's not where we are."

Sacks' comments come in the wake of widespread reports that the Clippers are discussing a deal with the Celtics that would send Bledsoe and Jordan to Boston in exchange for Kevin Garnett, but may be viewed as a message to other teams that he is not interested in dealing the two players.

Celtics, Clippers Discussing Kevin Garnett Trade

February 16th, 2013 at 4:47pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:47pm: Though he made comments indicating he would welcome Garnett to L.A., Chris Paul said he's not pushing the Clippers to make the deal, notes USA Today's Sam Amick.

4:22pm: Garnett has not ruled out accepting a trade to Los Angeles, a source tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. The Clippers, who began their efforts to land Garnett with the Bledsoe-Butler package more than two weeks ago, have always been willing to increase their price, Deveney writes.

3:42pm: Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe hears the teams have not discussed Garnett, and that the Clippers don't want to approach the luxury tax line (Twitter link). The Clippers are about $1MM shy of the $70.307MM tax threshold, but acquiring Garnett for Jordan and Bledsoe would save the team money. The other version of the deal, sending out Green, Turiaf and Butler, would likely make the Clippers a taxpayer.

2:51pm: Though Garnett has said he won't waive his no-trade clause under any circumstances, the Clippers are confident they can persuade him to come to L.A. if the Celtics tell him it's a deal they want to make, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.

SATURDAY, 10:45am: Sean Deveney of the Sporting News tweets that the Clippers' primary incentive to do the trade is Del Negro's belief that Jordan isn't a championship-caliber center. He writes that the team discussed the possibility of trading for Anderson Varejao before the Cavs' big man's season-ending injury.

FRIDAY, 12:53am: Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro would be willing to do the deal, but the team's front office is "totally against the move," according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. Clippers executives would prefer to send out Willie Green, Ronny Turiaf and Caron Butler for Garnett (Twitter links).

12:11am: The Celtics and Clippers have been in consistent contact about a trade that would send Kevin Garnett to L.A. for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan, report Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Factions within both teams are debating whether the deal would be the best course of action. This appears to be the latest incarnation of a proposal that would have sent Bledsoe and Caron Butler to Boston for Garnett.

After that rumor surfaced a couple of weeks ago, we heard that Garnett would not waive his no-trade clause unless he was dealt to L.A., which is close to his home in Malibu, Calif., and also unless the Celtics also traded Paul Pierce. While no Pierce trade appears imminent, sources tell Wojnarowski and Spears that Garnett's close relationship with Clippers guard Chauncey Billups could help coax him into accepting the swap.

The Clippers have been reluctant to deal Bledsoe without knowing what Chris Paul will do in free agency this summer, but the team's front office is becoming increasingly confident Paul will re-sign, according to the Yahoo! report. Many within the organization believe Garnett would strengthen the team's title hopes, which explains the team's pursuit. It appears that the Clippers initiated talks of the earlier Garnett-Bledsoe-Butler proposal.

Wojnarowski and Spears point out that acquiring Bledsoe would allow the Celtics to deal away Rajon Rondo without getting a point guard in return, and earlier tonight a report surfaced about a potential Rondo/Dwight Howard swap. As I wrote then, it appears Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is aggressively pursuing his options as Thursday's trade deadline nears. Ainge has reportedly been looking for something to get "really, really excited about" in any deal for Garnett, and it's unclear whether Bledsoe and Jordan would be enough to satisfy that requirement.

From a salary perspective, the deal works out well for the Celtics. It would only add $674,432K to the team's salary, leaving about $2MM under Boston's $74.307MM hard cap, plenty of room to pursue another player to fill out the team's injury-depleted roster. Jordan's four-year, $43MM contract includes a 15% trade kicker, but because it was signed after the league's current CBA went into effect, the Clippers would have to absorb the extra money if they trade their center, and not the team that acquires him.

Pacific Links: Clippers, Warriors, Gordon, Kobe

February 16th, 2013 at 3:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pacific Division will be well-represented in tomorrow's All-Star Game, as five of the 12 Western Conference All-Star spots are occupied by players from the division, and four of the five starters come from the two L.A. teams. There easily could have been six Pacific Division All-Stars if the coaches had selected Stephen Curry as a reserve. Here's more on a few All-Stars who were voted as starters by the fans, including a hint at retirement from one of them.

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin would welcome Kevin Garnett to the Clippers if he's traded to the team, as Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com observes.
ESPN's Chris Broussard wrote a couple of days ago that the Warriors are one of a few clubs believed to have inquired about Eric Gordon, but Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group reports that Golden State is not engaged in talks about the Hornets shooting guard. The W's are turned off by Gordon's injury history, contract, and the Hornets' likely asking price (Sulia link).
In a video on Nike Basketball's YouTube page, Kobe Bryant sat down with former NBA player Damon Jones and addressed how long he plans on playing. "Probably two years max," Bryant said."Two years max. Next year might be it. It's one of those things, I think I'll wake up, and I'll know, and if it's it for me, then that's it, and there's no looking back." Bryant's contract expires at the end of next season (hat tip to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy).
Carl Landry, who has a $4MM player option on his contract with the Warriors for next season, spoke to Grantland's Zach Lowe about his enjoyment playing for Golden State and coach Mark Jackson (Twitter link).